


the child (born to be a light)

by aimingarrows



Series: history has bound us by its web [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Spider-Man: Homecoming Spoilers, aka a more personal glimpse into Peter and Tony's relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 12:57:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11647020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aimingarrows/pseuds/aimingarrows
Summary: Tony is watching Peter when the realization hits him like a speeding train.“I want kids, Rhodey.”“What?” Rhodey coughs, his eyes blown wide as Tony turns to look at him, “Where the hell did that come from?”Tony’s eyes slide over to Peter.





	the child (born to be a light)

**Author's Note:**

> Their relationship is precious, so I needed to get it out. Bless Homecoming for giving us this.

Tony is watching Peter when the realization hits him like a speeding train.

“I want kids, Rhodey.”

“ _What?_ ” Rhodey coughs, his eyes blown wide as Tony turns to look at him, “Where the hell did that come from?”

Tony’s eyes slide over to Peter.

*** 

Truth is, Tony never thought that the young, eager and wide-eyed kid from Queens would root his way into Tony’s heart. The realization that he was fond of the kid arose when he saw the boy lying still on the tarmac at Leipzig in Berlin, his heart beating so fast with the endless mantra of _Oh no no no not the kid oh no_. It had been barely 48 hours since he had met the kid in his scrappy little apartment in Queens, and there Tony was, silently fretting over the kid’s wellbeing, his heart lodged in his throat as he silently pleaded to the gods he didn’t believe in to let the kid be alright.

And then and then and then– 

Well, it just snowballed from there. 

The lake, the ferry, the ‘Vulture’ as the media had called him, and Tony was certain that one day Peter was going to give him a worried-induced heart attack. The level of worry that Tony had experienced had been startling to say the least, and his obsession with the kid’s wellbeing had even Happy side-eyeing him.

The thing is, Tony sees a better version of himself in the kid. Tony has always been a futurist, and he sees the future in Peter. He sees the future of heroes, the future of the Avengers, the future of _good_ people who just want to do what’s right simply because they _can_ and so they _should._

Peter embodies everything a hero should be – noble, kind, generous, forgiving, and so much more.

But it was only after Peter had rejected Tony’s offer of joining the Avengers that he had truly gotten to know the kid on a more personal level. Sure, he knew what the kid was up to, checked up on him, tried to protect him, but he didn’t really know what Peter liked to do when he wasn’t at school or patrolling, or who Peter’s friends were. It was only when Peter had rejected him, citing that he wanted to just stay close to the ground, that Tony’s perspective of the kid had shifted.

Objectively, Tony knew Peter was a kid, but with Peter so adamant about joining the big leagues, it only really hit home for Tony that Peter was a kid when Peter _himself_ acknowledged it in his refusal to join the Avengers.

It showed to Tony a sort of maturity and self-awareness that most people could use at times. Even himself.

It also got Tony thinking more about the kid’s personal life. _What kind of life is he going back to? What kind of life did he trade being an Avenger for?_ And it was only when those questions popped into Tony’s head that he realized he didn’t know the answers.

And because he liked the kid – he was smart, wide-eyed, optimistic, kind, witty, and everything Tony needed to bring a little bit of light back into his life – he endeavored to spend more time with the kid personally now that he was finally on the way to getting his life back on track.

So he started inviting Peter over on weekends just to spend a few hours in the lab, brainstorming ideas for improvements for Peter’s suit, and on occasion, for Tony’s. Peter’s aptitude in the lab had surpassed even Tony’s expectations, and suddenly there was a real internship for Peter at Stark Industries as Tony’s own personal R&D intern.

Those were the hours where Tony began to know Peter on a more personal level.

_“Hah! I remember when Ned found out I was Spider-Man and –”_

_“Who’s Ned?” Tony asked._

_“Oh! Ned! He’s my best friend, has been for years,” Peter said as he dug out his phone from his backpack (Jesus the kid needed a new phone, Tony thought off-handedly), tapping on it and then showing to Tony a picture of him and another dark-haired kid at, out of all places, Coney Island together. Peter had his arm slung around Ned’s shoulder, his face caught in the middle of a laughing fit, while Ned looked confused at the camera apparently none the wiser about the ice cream moustache he was sporting on his upper lip undoubtedly from the cone he was holding in his hand. They looked about 13 years old and had braces. They really were just kids. Tony’s heart squeezed a little._

_“Cute picture,” Tony remarked, trying to quell the squeezing feeling of fondness in his heart._

_“Yeah, well, heh, Ned’s awesome,” Peter drew his phone back to him, smiling at the photo for a moment with a look of fondness before tucking it back into his bag. Tony watched Peter shuffle around in his chair as he got back to working on his web shooter blueprints._

_“How’d you become friends?” Tony asked._

_“Oh, well, it’s really simple actually. We were both the new kids so we just kind of bonded together. Been friends ever since.”_

_“You should bring him over some time then. Is he interested in tech?”_

_Peter spluttered as the pencil he was holding dropped onto the worktable. “Uh – oh my god, seriously? Seriously? I can bring him over? Yes! Ye – yes he is interested in tech! Oh man, oh man! He is going to flip!”_

_Then Peter started rambling on about Ned being his ‘guy in the chair’ and Tony lost the thread of the conversation._

And that’s how Tony found out about Ned.

And this is how Tony found about that Peter was being bullied.

_“Why do you look so down, kid?”_

_Peter dropped his backpack lethargically onto the carpet, slumping onto the kitchen stool. “It’s nothing.”_

_“Clearly not nothing, you look like someone beat you in the science fair.”_

_“Hah, well, it’s not that.”_

_Tony raised his eyebrow, “Then what is it?”_

_He saw that Peter was on the verge of deflecting and cut him off – “I’m not going to let this go so you might as well tell me.”_

_Peter slumped._

_“It’s just that Flash keeps trying to get me kicked off the decathlon team.”_

_“Flash what?”_

_“Oh, uh, Flash. Flash Thompson. He’s a kid in my year.”_

_Tony’s eyes narrowed, “And this kid is trying to get you kicked off the decathlon team. Why?”_

_Peter pursed his lips and looked down, “Well I, uh, kind of slacked off a lot in the beginning of the year because of whole Spider-Man thing, and thing is he’s first alternate on the team, so he’s really just there to fill in when one of us isn’t available and he kind of just wants to take my place.”_

_“Why is he targeting you specifically?”_

_“He’s always had a thing against me,” Peter sighed._

_Wait. What._

_“Peter, is this kid bullying you?”_

_Peter’s eyes grew wide, “I, uh, I mean he doesn’t beat me up –”_

_“Doesn’t matter. Does he make you feel like shit? Actively go after you? Actively try to hurt you in any way?”_

_Peter’s mouth opened and closed, like he didn’t know how to reply, and that was enough of an answer._

_Tony felt his blood run cold. This sweet, noble kid was being bullied at school by some kid who probably didn’t have half the character Peter did. He felt the familiar tendrils of anger rising, a protective feeling spreading through his chest as he suddenly had the urge to go call the school and give them a piece of his mind because how dare they let this wonderful kid be hurt in any way._

_This kid, who fights muggers and robbers every night, being tormented by some kid at school. There was something just so wrong about that concept._

_“ – aybe before I would’ve just let him take my spot but I’ve been trying to get a handle on school and everything and I’ve been trying really hard lately to keep up with my commitments I’ve even joined robotics lab again so it just sucked that he’s trying to get me kicked out,” Peter babbled on._

_Tony sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus.” He took a deep breath. “Why?”_

_“Why what?”_

_“Why does he target you?” Tony asked._

_“Ah, well,” Peter fiddled with the hem of his sweater, “I mean, I don’t want to sound big-headed or anything I swear, it’s just, I don’t think he likes the fact that I’m smarter than him.”_

_Tony snorted. Well, didn’t that bring back some fond school memories, Tony thought sarcastically._

_“I understand, kid.”_

_“You do?” Peter’s eyes were wide._

_Tony nodded. “Yep. Was bullied at school myself for that same reason. Add the fact that I was younger than everyone else and it didn’t equate to a very enjoyable school experience.”_

_“You were bullied?” Peter gaped, shock plastered all over his face._

_“You look surprised.”_

_“I am! I mean, you’re Tony Stark! Just – how? You’re you!”_

_“Being Tony Stark didn’t matter to kids. They just cared about being showed up in class by a kid three years younger than them. Didn’t really help their ego.”_

_Peter nodded slowly, eyebrows furrowed as if trying to process that information. Tony went over to sit beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Peter looked up at him._

_“Do you want me to call the school?”_

_“What? No! No, it’s fine, Mr. Stark, I swear. I can handle it.”_

_“Does May know?”_

_Peter nodded. “Yeah, yeah she does. She’s tried calling the school before, but it kind of doesn’t work very well when you’re not being bullied physically, you know?”_

_Tony sighed and clenched Peter’s shoulder a bit tighter, “Just listen to me, kid. You’re a thousand times a better person than that kid Flash is and ever will be, alright? Just keep that in mind, keep your head up, and know that in actuality, you’re the one that has the power over him, because he’s the one who’s jealous of you.”_

_Peter smiled, “Yeah,” he breathed out, his eyes alight, “yeah, Mr. Stark.”_

_“But don’t be afraid to put him in his place if it gets to be too much, okay? Don’t let him walk all over you.”_

After that heart-to-heart, Tony felt a shift in their relationship. Offering to call Midtown High and handle Peter’s school woes had an air of parental authority that Tony simply did not have but was more than ready to take upon. It just spiraled from there.

_“Boss, Peter Parker is on the line,” FRIDAY called into the lab._

_“Put him through.”_

_The kid’s voice came on the line. “Mr. Stark!”_

_“What’s up, kid?”_

_“You sent me a new phone!” Peter squeaked, “A new StarkPhone!”_

_Tony laughed, “Oh, so you finally got it? Great!” He swiveled in his chair and kicked his feet up on the table, leaning back, “Top of the line, hasn’t even been released yet.”_

_“Holy shit!” Peter screeched, “That is – this is incredible!”_

_“Well, kid, you looked like you needed a new phone, so I thought ‘what the hell?’”_

_He could hear Peter’s heavy breathing across the line, “You didn’t have to Mr. Stark, honest! This is too much! My phone works fine –”_

_“I should hope so, it’s a StarkPhone.”_

_“No, no I meant my old phone! Honestly, Mr. Stark, I can’t accept this, it’s too much.”_

_Tony sighed, “Do me a favor and just accept it, kid. You deserve something nice, alright? I want you to have it.”_

_Peter stuttered, “I, uh, ok – okay. Um. Okay.”_

_“Do you like it?”_

_“I love it! It’s amazing! I can’t wait to show Ned!”_

_“Ah, well, if he likes it I can send him one, too.”_

_Silence._

_“Oh my god,” Peter whispered in stunned amazement. “You would do that?”_

_“Of course.”_

_Anything for you, kid._

_“Hey, I’ve programmed my personal number in your contacts list, alright? Don’t go giving that around to anyone. Message me when your new shoes are delivered.”_

_“New shoes?” Peter’s voice was shrill._

_“Your shoes are worn and they’re about to fall apart. I got you new ones.”_

_“New ones? Plural?” Peter’s voice was pitched so high the end of his question was almost silent._  
_  
Tony chuckled, “Yes, kid, plural.”_

_“Mr. Stark no, it’s too muc –”_

_“Enjoy your new goods, Peter. See you this Saturday,” Tony interjected before ending the call. He smiled slightly at his memory of the kid’s reaction, and again a few days later when he got Peter’s message that the shoes had been delivered._

_He couldn’t hide his smile when Peter came to the lab on Saturday wearing his new all-white Nike shoes. His heart warmed with affection._

The latest encounter where Tony felt the same level of affection was actually later that Saturday, when Tony had suggested watching Star Wars during dinner after working in the lab all day.

_“Um, yes? I’m so up for Star Wars, man!”_

_“I take it you’re a fan, then?” Tony asked as he plopped down on the sofa and settled the drinks on the coffee table._

_“Huge! Like, huge! Like, so huge, that just recently Ned and I built this Lego Death Star and it was the coolest thing! It even had a Lego Darth Vader!”_

_Tony found himself grinning widely, “Lego, huh?” Shit, this kid was adorable._

_Peter’s eyes widened and he looked down, apparently misconstruing Tony’s meaning. “Yeah, heh, I guess it’s a little childish.”_

_“What? No! That’s not what I meant,” Tony backpedaled and Peter looked up, “That’s cool, actually. There’s nothing wrong with that. Shows passion,” Tony said as he took a bite of his pizza._

_“And besides, Lego is for everyone,” Tony continued with a full mouth. Peter beamed._

_“Yeah! Helps a lot in physics class when we have to design something for our engineering unit. Those maximum age ranges mean nothing anyway,” Peter babbled on before taking a bite of his pizza and settling in to watch the opening credits of A New Hope._

_Tony glanced at Peter who was busy watching the movie._

_He still plays with Legos, Tony thought warmly, he really is just a kid._

_He’s a masked crime-fighting hero who took down a black-arms dealer, and as a result technically saved the Avengers’ reputation, stops robbers and muggers, and he still plays with Legos._

_A precious kid, indeed._

***

Rhodey’s eyes followed his. “Oh,” he voiced out.

Because the thing is, Tony has seen Peter reckless and at his highest, has protected him, taught him, lectured him, checked up on him, bought him shoes and a new phone, advised him, met his best friend, and somewhere along the line, Tony had begun treating Peter in a way that he would have wanted his father to treat him. Somewhere along the line, he had begun treating this kid the way he would have wanted his father to treat his son.

And if this fondness, affection, joy and warmth was what Tony got from that mentality, well, who could blame him for wanting what he did?

 _Kids,_ Tony thought warmly as he watched Peter, the scrappy kid from Queens who wormed his way into Tony’s heart, play with his bots, _yeah, kids._

“Well,” Rhodey grinned brightly, his face alight with happiness as he slapped Tony on the back, “I hope you and your new fiancée have talked about this.”


End file.
